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Book Club for Beginners

There are a lot of things I can tolerate in a Piper. Trash collecting, hoarding, potty words, Lady Gaga. Just to name a few. But I don’t know how to parent a kid who doesn’t appreciate books. We’re a house of readers. We have no athletic ability. Most of us can’t see our hands in front of our faces without glasses. We’re nerds. We read. So when Piper was invited to her first book club for kids, I checked an emphatic “yes!” on the evite. I had no idea what you do at a book club for four-year-olds but they had me at the word “book.” I’m that easy.

I did notice a few differences between my usual grownup book club and this kid’s version. Here are the top 5:

1. Seats are assigned.

Piper’s friend, Rylie, and her mom were hosting the book club. This was waiting at Piper’s chair when we arrived:

Nothing makes a girl feel more welcome than a friend to your right and a name tag.

2. You get cool stuff.

There was also the cutest little mailbox you’ve ever seen:

And there was chocolate inside that mailbox. That’s my kind of book club! Now I know what you’re wondering. How about the “book” in “book club,” right? That came next.

3. You don’t have to read the book beforehand.

Rylie’s mom read the book while Piper mostly listened. I only had to dig the melted chocolates out of her grubby hands twice.

4. There’s more than just talk.

There were activities that corresponded to the book’s theme, which I suppose is similar to activities at my book club with grownups. Drinking mimosas is an activity, right?

Piper’s activities were response sheets that related to the theme of the book. I helped her write them…

5. You get to bring your mom.

The best part of a four-year-old book club was doing it together. I was basking in our mutual love of words when Piper and I were walking to the car. I buckled her in, leaned over for a hug, and said, “Wasn’t that fun? Your first book club!”

Piper played with the lid on her new mailbox, counted her chocolates again, and asked, “What book?”